Amusement apparatus.



w. J. KEEPB'.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

uruornon FILED MAY 24, 1909.

Patented Aug. 30, 1910.

INVENTOR WILL IHM J. KEE/"E ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM J. KEEFE, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO EUREKA NOVELTY COM- PANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 30, 1910.

To all whom it may concem:

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM J. KEEFE, a citizen of the United States, and residing in St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Amusement Apparatus, herein more fully described, pointed out in my claim, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates generally to an amusement apparatus of the type employing passenger carriers provided with wheels, rollers or ball bearings and which travels down an inclined plane.

My invent-ion may be briefly termed a summer coaster, the object of my invention being to provide a novel apparatus adapted for use in summer gardens, parks and the like, and which apparatus is designed to represent or simulate the sport and amusement incident to coasting with sleds or toboggans down a snow or ice covered hill or inclined plane.

To the above purposes my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of one form of the inclined plane on which the roller sleds or carriers operate. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one of the carriers, the top and side being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the carrier seen in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the front bolsters used on the carrier. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of one of the axles of the carrier and showing a clip or sleeve thereon.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates the inclined plane on which the carriers operate, which plane may be of any shape and width and having the necessary degree of inclination to insure proper speed to the carriers. house or like structure 2 is located at the upper end of the inclined plane for the convenience of the passengers at the starting point and if desired an elevator or endless cable (not shown) may be provided for elevating the carriers to the structure 2.

The inclined plane 1 may be supported on a superstructure, or may be laid directly upon the side of a hill, and if desired the boards or plates forming the surface of the plane If desired, a I

may be formed in sections in order to be removed from one point to another. If desired the surface of the plane may be provided at suitable distances apart with slightly elevated portions 3 which give the carriers a bumping effect as they travel down the inclined plane.

The carriers of my improved apparatus are made to represent sleds, and each carrier comprises a top 4 and sides 5, which latter are in the form of runners. Pivotally arranged beneath the front portion of the carrier is a pair of transversely disposed bolsters 6 and journaled in the lower portion of each bolster is an axle 7 on the ends of which is mounted a pair of small wheels or rollers 8. Located on each of these axles is a pair of clips 9, and connecting each pair of these clips are connecting rods 10. The ends of said rods 10 are pivoted to the clips,

and this construction causes the two front bolsters and the parts carried thereby to swing simultaneously in shifting from one side to the other. Pivotally supported on the forward end of the carrier is a transversely disposed steering-bar 11 and pivotally connected thereto are the forward ends of a pair of links 12, the rear ends of which are pivotally connected to the pair of clips 9 on the forward one of the axles 7 The ends of the steering bar 11 are provided with cords or rods 13, by means of which said bar is shifted or swung upon its pivot and which action results in a shifting movement of the front wheels of the carrier. The rear portion of the carrier is supported by a pair of fixed bolsters 14: in each of which is journaled an axle l5 and mounted thereon are small wheels or rollers 16.

In some instances I may find it desirable to form an extra long carrier by coupling two single carriers together with a top board, and thus a carrier can be formed to accommodate several passengers. Where such an arrangement is provided, the front carrier is pivotally connected to the forward portion of the top board. If desired, a carrier may be formed with ball bearings on the lower portions of the runners, or a series of small rollers can be mounted in the bottoms of said runners.

The operation of my improved apparatus is obvious, it only being necessary to start the carrier at the upper end of the incline and the same will travel rapidly to the bottom thereof, thus closely imitating the Winter sport and amusement of coasting With a sled or toboggan.

My improved appartus is particularly intended for use in parks, summer gardens and out door recreation points, although if desired the inclined plane can be built inside a building and thus the apparatus be used during all seasons of the year.

I claim:

In an apparatus of the class described, a carrier in the form of a sled, a pair of fixed bolsters on the under side of the rear portion of said sled, an axle journaled in said bolsters, Wheels on said axle, a pair of bolsters pivotally mounted beneath the front portion of the sled, an axle journaled in said pair of bolsters, Wheels on said axle, a steering bar pivotally mounted on the front end of the sled, and rods connecting the steering bar with the front axle.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses, this 18th day of May 1909.

VILLIAM J. KEEFE.

Witnesses:

CHRISTIAN F. SCHNEIDER, J. voN REPPE T. 

